The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-10-27


need Of explanation; We all under
stood the meaning OF the affair.
"Now down, men, behind the cab
in" / cried. The order was giveI
none too soon, for the next moment I
number of bullets struck the side o
the boat. We remained quiet, deter
mining to save our powder and bullets
until w could use them effectively.
started toward the pilot-house ant
instructed the engineer to start tn
machinery but to our surprise weiount
that the stern wheel did not revolve
Investigation proved that it haf
been lifted from it's plate and quietly
dropped into the river. Oul
strange visitors object in com
ing so mysteriously among us wa
at last plain. and, although b.
had paid dearly for his underhani
work, we felt but little compassio,
for him. We were really in q helpless
condition and there seemed no wal
out of our difficulty. The question
was, could the men cross the rive
and reach the boat and overwheln
us? Their number was q mystery t.
us, but from the number OF shots VI
concluded that there could be less tina,
five. #-"
The only thing that seemed left TO:
us to do was to attempt to raise th'
wheel and replace it. If this could b
done and the cable cut, We coult
steam up stream in spite of Jul enc
mics. Dropping the anchor and max
ing the tug secure, we arranged rud'
davits over the stern of the boat ant
searched for the missing wheel with d.
grapple hook. One of the deck hand
watched the opposite side of the rive,
while we searched diligently for th'
wheel. After a quarter of an hour.
search our hook struck a piece of iror
which turned out to be the greatly
priced wheel.
It was so deeply embedded in tn
mud and sticks that it took some time
before we conld raise it, and the diff
Guilty of putting it in place was increas
ed by the darkness. It was finally
put in place, however, and we wer'
congratulating ourselves on our sue
cess, when the deck hand who wa.
keeping watch, suddenly whispered ir
a warning voice: "Here they come
About fifty yards up stream, adarl
object could be seen floating gradual
ly with the tide. At first we were un
able to make out the meaning of this
but, as the current drew nearer, il
was easy to see that the object was
a raft. It hadbeen formed, no doubt
by flashing heavy logs together, ani
constructing on top g. breastwork o
smaller sticks and brushwood. Be
hind this breastwork our enemies
were resting, beyond the reach of oul
firearms. The current would bring
the raft directly alongside of ourboat
and the chances were that they could
board US before we could get a shot
at them.
Our s seemed to be getting NOR
desperate. We seemed to find GU,
way out of one difficulty only to fall
into a more dangerous one. Grasp
ing our rifles, we stood for a full min
ute watching the approaching craft,
unable to act. I then rang the bell to
| start ahead. We could not proceed
up the river far, for the cable still
barred the passage-way, and to me
the only way OF escape that seemed
LETT was to run the raft down.
This vas a desperate e~xpedient 10,
the raft was composed OF logs az
large, il not larger, than the timbers
of the tug. I felt that there was ont
chance in a. hundred for US. If the
PROV OF our boat could strike between
two, of the heavy logs, and part the
bands that held them together, We
could escape without damaging oul
boat to any great extent. With this
object in view, the machinery was set ir
motion. The sternwheel began to churr
the water savagely, and the loud snort
ing OF the stream startled the echoes ir
the forest. Then, with a few wil6
bounds, the small vessel began tt
shoot through the water with good
speed. Every revolution of the vince
added mi more advantage to our side
of the question. The greater the speed
we could get, the better. would be oul
chance of withstanding the force Of
the collision.
The men on the raft seemed discon.
certed at the sudden change in the pro.
gramme, for dark heads could be seen
moving about above the breastworks.
They realized the danger OF collision,
but, after q moments alarm, they be-
came quiet.
The water of the muddy stream
foamed about the PROV and rolled
toward the banks in long, heavy
swells. The raft alone remained in
still water. When within three yards
of q huge raft, the machinery was
stopped, and q loud, shrlll whistle
went up from the iron throat of the
engine.
The echoes had scarcely died away,
when there was g. terrific shock, fol.
lowed by q recoil, and then a forward
bound. The bow of the boat had
struck between two OF the centrallogs
and rent the bands that bound them
together, tearing straight through to
the stern end of the raft. Separated in
two parts, the logs began to roll away
in different directions, while the dis.
committed boat-wreckers chung desper.
ately to them. Two white upturned
faces in the water told us the fate oil
some of our enemies, while the others
foated silently along down stream.
unable to reach the shore or do any.
thing to help themselves. Fearing
lest our craft was injured, we headed
straight for the bank and made an ex-
animation. Fortunately the damage
was all above'the water.line, and we
could proceed on our journey with
out much risk. The cable was quickly
parted from the tree to which it was
tied, and cast into the river.
Near the tree several boxes and
bundles were discovered, evidently be.